Removable post for vertically acting doors



June 23, 1942. c, oD -r 2,287,372

v REMOVABLE "PQsT FOR VERTICALLY ACTI'NG moons Fj.;l.ed Feb, 12, 1940 I.1 [0 HERBERT CADY Bwoeew Patented June 23, 1942 REMOVABLE POST FORVERTICALLY ACTING DOORS Herbert Cady Blodg ett, Hartford City, Ind., as-

signor to Overhead Door Corporation, Hartford City, 1nd,, a corporationof Indiana I Application February 12, 1940, Serial No. 318,406 8 Claims.(c1.2o-20-) The main objects of this invention are:

First, to provide a novel and simplified removable center post for apair of laterally spaced vertically acting articulated doors.

Second, to provide a post of the type described front-to-rear directionwhen in operative position.

Fourth, to provide a removable post of the type described carryingtracks adapted to coact with fixed horizontal and curved track portionsadjacent the door and having provision for insuring that the post tracksand fixed track portions will be at all times in proper register withone another when the post is in operative position.

Objects relating to details and economies of;

the invention will appear from the description to follow. The inventionis defined and pointed out in the claims.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in theaccompanying drawing, in

which: I v

Fig. l is a fragmentary view in front elevation illustrating the postof: my invention in erected position in a doorway with a pair ofvertically acting articulated doors associated; P

therewith, one being in closed and the other in partially closedposition.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary View in side elevation and partially in verticalsection on line 2-2 of Fig. 3, illustrating the construction of the postand its operative relation to the coacting secur ing provisions affixedto thedoorway'as well as to the fixed track structure with which itcoacts.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view in section on line 3-3 of Fig. 2,further illustrating the construction and relation of the parts.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view in vertical longitudinal sectionillustrating certain track obstructing provisions for the fixed or doorheader tracks and the manner in-which the removable post is associatedwith the latter in order to render said provisions inoperative when thepost is in operative position.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary View in section on line 55 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a detail view in plan illustrating the fixed doorway bracketor post holder constituting an element of my invention.

The present invention relates to a removable or carry-away post forvertically acting articulated doors such as are commonly employed ingarages, fire stations, and the like, being generally similar to theconstruction shown and described in my copending application, Serial No.277,122, filed June 3, 1939. The post is made of light weight materialand has simple provisions for assembling the same in the door frame thusenabling all the manipulations of erecting or removing the door andtransporting the same to a storage place to be performed by a singleperson. It is likewise necessary in such an assembly that, in additionto being readily and quickly erected to operative position, the tracksthereon be always in proper register with the fixed tracks with whichthey communicate and the present invention relates in particular tonovel and improved means for securing this result. Furthermore, byreason of the relatively few parts and the simple design thereof, thepost may be manufactured and marketed at an extremely attractive figure.

In the drawing, the referenc numeral l indicates a doorway of a garageor like structure provided ,with'a pair of laterally spaced verticallyacting articulated doors 2, 3 of well known construction and with whichthe removable post or mullion of my invention, generally indicated 4,coacts to provide a vertical guiding and securing means for the doorsdisposed between the same.

-Referring to Figs. 2 and 6, the doorway has the headerv 5 thereofprovided with a holding bracket 6 bolted thereto and dependingtherefrom, which bracket serves as a support for the post of myinvention. The details thereof are clearly illustrated in Fig.6 and itis sufiicient to point out that the bracket has a depending Web 1integral with which is an elongated well or keeper pocket 8 constitutedby the web 1, the integral side walls 9 and the rearwardly extendingflange-like part of lip ID. This pocketor keeper is adapted to receive aflanged or angled support member or connector tongue ll integral with abracket or plate [2 which is adapted to be adjustably secured on thepost 4. Tongue H latches behind the flange I0 oflthe keeper pocket torestrain the top of the post in the front-to-rear direction. Theadjustment of the plate on the post 4 is in the vertical direction,being made possible by elongated holes l3 in the plate through which thekeeper pocket and correct lateral positioning of V the post in the planeof the doorway are facilitated. a

On the inner side of header is provided an. angle iron l4 having arelatively large rearwardly extending plate-like flange l5 which servesas a support for the counterbalancing mechanism It? for the verticallyacting doors and also has belted thereto the elongated rearwardlydirected bar or rod ll which serves in part to support the horizontaltrack sections l8 onto which the doors 2, 3 are withdrawable ininoperative position. The doors have guide rollers IBI receivable in thetrack sections. These horizontal track sections have connected theretothe curved sections I9 which open at the top of the doorway and areadapted to communicate with opposed vertical track sections 2!] securedon the post in the manner to be described.

Post 4 is preferably made up of a pair of elongated vertically directedangle irons 2| (see Fig. 3) spaced at the rearwardly directed flanges 22thereof and adjacent the top of the post by a plate 23, the function ofwhich will be herein after referred to. For the remainder of its length,the post flanges 22 are correspondingly spaced by a suitable fillerplate 23 and the vertical track sections 20 are riveted or bolted onopposite sides of the flanges.

Referring to Figs. 2 and 4, it will be seen that the curved tracksections I9 project downwardly a substantial distance on either side ofthe fixed header flange I5, while the upper end of the vertical posttrack sections 20 is spaced a corresponding distance downwardly from thetop of the post flanges. In assembling the post, the detent tongue Hthereof is hooked over the keeper lip ID of the supporting or holdingbracket 8, the tongue ll of the suspending plate being inserted in well8. The post is thus maintained in proper position, the lip and tongueserving to prevent rearward movement at the top of the post but beingreadily disengageable for removal of the post in its entirety. Theflanges [5 of the header angle irons M are cut away at 24 (see Fig. 2)to provide clearance for this removing operation. With the post properlyengaged at its top, it is swung rearwardly in a direction normal to theplane of the door opening to bring the portion of the post flangesexposed above the upper end of tracks 26 into the space or recessbetween the lowermost ends of the curved tracks I8. They are snuglyreceived in this recess and serve to laterally stabilize the door andassure accurate register of the tracks 20 with the coacting curvedtracks l 8. The bottom of the post is then latched or pinned in place aswill be described. To remove the post, the operation is reversed,swinging the same outwardly from the solid line to the dotted lineposition of Fig. 2, then lifting the post and disengaging the keeper andlatching brackets 8, l2.

In order to prevent downward movement of the retracted doors 2, 3 fromthe horizontal tracks l3 when the post is removed, I provide anautomatically acting track obstructing dog 25 which is pivoted todepending lugs 26 secured on either side of the header angle iron M. Thelugs also support the bottom extremities of curved track sections [9 inproperly spaced relation. The dog 25 has a single tappet arm 2'!extending into the space between the lowermost ends of track sections19. Bifurcated track obstructing lugs 28 adapted to extend throughopenings 29 cut in the rear wall of the curved track sections aresecured to the tappet and pivot therewith. The dog, including arms andtappet, is pivoted at 30 so that the bifurcated arms 28 embrace the lugs26 and is preferably counterweighted for counterclockwise gravitalmovement, or spring urged in a counterclockwise direction by a leafspring, torsion spring, or other Well known expedient.

By the foregoing construction, when the upper end of the post 4 is swungto operative position relative to the header in the direction indicatedby the arrow in Fig. 4, it strikes the tappet arm 2''! of dog 25 andretracts arms 28 from their respective track openings, thus freeing thecurved tracks for communication with the post tracks. The flanges of thedoor angle irons are cut away at 3| to accommodate the tappet arm whenthe dog is in its actuated position illustrated in dotted lines in Fig.4. When the post is removed, the dog pivots either by gravity or byspring tension exerted thereon into the track obstructing positionillustrated in solid lines in Fig. 4.

In order to lock the post in operative erected position, maintaining thebrackets I2, 6 in their engaged relation, and preventing lateral orrearward displacement thereof in said position, I provide a verticallyslidable locking or latch pin 32 which coacts with a suitable floorplate or bracket 33 in the doorway at the bottom thereof. This plate hasa recess therein receiving pin 32 for registering and preventingdisplacement of the post. Pin 32 is manually retractible by a suitableactuating and releasing device, generally indicated 34, of a well knowntype.

In order to facilitate removal and erection of r the door in accordancewith the foregoing disclosure, I preferably form the same in itsentirety of a suitable light, strong metal. It may take the form ofdrawn aluminum castings; however, I find that Monel metal has all thecharacteristics of lightness, strength, and capability of being readilyformed to the desired shapes, which characteristics a manually removablepost such as I have described requires.

I have illustrated and described my improvements in an embodiment whichI have found very practical. I have not attempted to illustrate ordescribe other embodiments or adaptations as it is believed that thisdisclosure will enable those skilled in the art to embody or adapt myimprove ments as may be desired.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a vertically sliding door structure including a pair of laterallyspaced articulated vertically sliding doors, a removable post adapted tobe disposed in the door opening between said doors for swinging removalin its entirety from the door opening in a direction normal to the planethereof, said post having opposed vertically extending tracks on thesides thereof, a fixed header above said door opening having a keeper,means on the post adjacent the top thereof for releasable retainingengagement with said keeper to holdthe post adjacent its top inoperative position in the plane of its removal, said last named meansbeing fully and completely disengageable from said keeper by lifting ofthe post so as to remove the latter bodily from operative position inthe door opening, a pair of laterally spaced tracks in fixed relation tosaid header adapted to registervertically and communicate with said posttracks, said post including means engageable with said fixed tracks forlaterally registering and supporting the post, and securing means at thebase of said post engageable with further means at the bottom of saiddoor opening to prevent movement of the post at that point.

2. In a vertically sliding door construction including a pair oflaterally spaced vertically acting doors adapted to be actuated to andfrom closing position relative to a doorway, a removable post adapted tobe positioned in said doorway between said doors and having a pair ofopposed tracks for guidingly receiving rollers on the doors, a pair ofhorizontal tracks in fixed relation to said doorway having curvedportions extending downwardly and opening to the top of the doorway,said portions being adapted to communicate with said post tracks, meanson said post engageable with said curved portions for laterally spacingand stabilizing the post, post restraining means in fixed relation tosaid doorway, and means on the post adjacent the top thereof forreleasable engagement with said fixed means to maintain said postadjacent its top in operative front-to-rear position, said means on thepost being fully disengageable from said fixed means by lifting of thepost so as to remove the latter bodily from operative position in saiddoorway.

3. In a vertically sliding door construction including a pair oflaterally spaced, vertically acting doors adapted to be actuated to andfrom closing position relative to a door opening, a removable postadapted to be positioned in said door opening between said doors andhaving a pair of opposed tracks for guidingly receiving rollers on thedoors, a pair of horizontal stationary tracks in fixed relation to thedoor opening adapted to be placed in communication with said post tracksand to receive the doors in withdrawn position thereof, means forlaterally supporting said post tracks in operative position, comprisinglaterally spaced retaining means in fixed relation to said stationarytracks, said post having means engageable with said retaining means,securing means on the post adjacent the top thereof, and a coactingelement in fixed relation to the door opening and releasably engageableby said securing means to maintain said post adjacent its top inoperative front-to-rear position, said post being swingable in adirection normal to the opening to remove the post in its entirety fromthe opening, and means at the bottom of the opening for restraining thepost at itsbase.

4. In a vertically sliding door structure including a pair of laterallyspaced articulated vertically sliding doors, a removable post adapted tobe disposed in the door opening between said doors for swinging removalin its entirety from the opening in a direction normal to the plane ofthe opening, a fixed header above said door opening having a keeperassociated therewith between said doors, means on said post adjacent thetop thereof for releasable retaining engage-.

ment with said keeper to hold the post adjacent its top in operativeposition in the plane of removal thereof, said last named means beingfully and completely disengageable from said keeper by lifting of thepost so as toremove the latter bodily from operative position in thedoor opening, a pair of laterally spaced tracks in fixed relation tosaid header, said post having means thereon engageable with said fixedtracks for laterally supporting the post positioning means disposed atthe bottom of said door opening betweenthe doors, and means on the baseof said post engageable with said last named positioning means toprevent displacement of the post at that point.

5. In a vertically sliding door structure including a pair of laterallyspaced vertically sliding doors, a removable post adapted to be disposedin the door opening between said doors for swingmg removal in itsentirety from the opening in a direction normal to the plane of theopening, a fixed header above said door opening having a keeperassociated therewith, manually actuable latch means on said post forreleasably retaining engagement of the post with the keeper to hold thepost adjacent its top in operative position in the plane of removalthereof, said last named means being fully and completely disengageablefrom said keeper by lifting of the post so as to remove the latterbodily from operative position in the door opening, and a pair oflaterally spaced tracks in fixed relation to said header, said posthaving means thereon engageable with said fixed tracks for laterallysupporting the post, positioning means disposed at the bottom of saiddoor opening between the doors, and means on the base of said postengageable with said last named positioning means to preventdisplacement of the post at that point.

6. In a vertically sliding door structure including a pair of laterallyspaced vertically sliding doors, a removable post adapted to be disposedin the door opening between said doors for swinging removal ina.direction normal to the plane of the opening, a fixed header abovesaid door opening having a keeper associated therewith, means on saidpost adjacent the top thereof for releasable retaining engagement withsaid keeper to hold the post adjacent its top in operative position inthe plane of removal thereof, said last named means being fully andcompletely disengageable from said keeper by lifting of the post so asto remove the latter bodily from operative position in the door opening,lateral positioning means secured to said header at a point above thetop of the post in operative position thereof, said post having meansthereon engageable with said lateral positioning means for laterallysupporting the post, positioning means disposed at the bottom of saiddoor opening between the doors, and means on said post engageable withsaid last named positioning means to prevent displacement of the post atthat point.

'7. In a removable post construction for vertically sliding doors, akeeper in fixed relation at the top of a door opening receiving saidconstruction, a post having a latch member adjacent the top thereofreleasably engageable with said keeper for sustaining the post inoperative position at the top thereof and preventing rearwarddisplacement of the post at that point, said post being swingable onsaid keeper in a substantial arc in a front-to-rear direction normal tothe door opening for removal of the post, the latch member being fullydisengageable from said keeper by lifting of the post soas to remove thelatter from operative position in the door opening, means formaintaining said post in lateral position in the plane of said dooropening, and means coacting with said post and the bottom of said dooropening to restrain the post in the front-to-rear direction at thatpoint.

8. In a removable post construction for vertically sliding doors, akeeper in fixed relation at the top of a door opening receiving saidconstruction, a post having a latch member adjacent the top thereofreleasably engageable with said keeper, means for maintaining said postin vertical position in the plane of the door opening, said latch memberbeing fully disengageable from said keeper by lifting of the post toremove the latter bodily from operative position in the door opening,and means ooacting with said post and the bottom of said door opening torestrain the post in the front-to-rear direction at that point.

HERBERT CADY BLODGETT.

